Gaucho Battalion
Hosted at University of California, Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA
The Gaucho Battalion commissions U.S. Army officers at University of California, Santa Barbara.
Quick facts
About this program
Headquartered on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus in Santa Barbara, Gaucho Battalion is the local accession point into the U.S. Army.
Sister-school participation is a real piece of this battalion. Cadets from Westmont College, Santa Barbara City College, California State University Channel Islands, and California Lutheran University contract through Gaucho Battalion and travel to University of California, Santa Barbara for the military-side requirements while keeping their core degree at the partner.
On the scholarship side: AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard) are all live channels at Gaucho Battalion. Academically, University of California, Santa Barbara is well-regarded for international affairs and language study — a track that pairs well with ROTC's emphasis on technical and leadership majors.
Cross-town partners
| Institution | Relationship | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westmont College , CA | cross-town | 0.0 mi | — |
| Santa Barbara City College , CA | cross-town | 0.0 mi | — |
| California State University Channel Islands , CA | cross-town | 0.0 mi | — |
| California Lutheran University , CA | cross-town | 0.0 mi | — |
Scholarships available
See the Army scholarship overview for the full slate of scholarships activatable at Gaucho Battalion.
Academic programs at University of California, Santa Barbara
Cadets at Gaucho Battalion pursue degrees across University of California, Santa Barbara's undergraduate catalog. Branch-preferred fields (engineering, foreign language, nursing, computer science) often carry scholarship benefits. See University of California, Santa Barbara's profile →
Training & summer
Army cadets attend Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox between their MS-III and MS-IV years for Advanced Camp, plus optional CULP overseas, Airborne, and Air Assault schools.
Contact & location
Address: Santa Barbara, CA
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Photos
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Gaucho Battalion located?
- Gaucho Battalion is hosted at University of California, Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, CA.
- Can students at other schools join Gaucho Battalion?
- Yes — Gaucho Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 4 other institutions, including Westmont College, Santa Barbara City College, California State University Channel Islands, California Lutheran University. See the cross-town partners table for distance and enrollment paths.
- Can I commission through Gaucho Battalion as any major?
- Army programs accept students from most academic majors at University of California, Santa Barbara. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
- How do I contact Gaucho Battalion?
- See the contact section for current cadre information.
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